This week in iOS gaming, the big new release, Diablo Immortal, is all anybody's talking about, but there's also fun to be had looking at Sega legend Yu Suzuki's new game and a bunch more new releases including new Frogger, a Top Gun game and game about collecting floaty eyeball things.
Let's get into it, shall we?
Diablo Immortal drama
Diablo Immortal can't seem to catch a break. It prompted a completely over-the-top bout of anger when it was revealed at BlizzCon in 2018, mostly because hardcore fans were hoping for Diablo 4 and not a surprise new mobile game. And now it's finally here, some folks are unhappy about how its server and in-app purchase systems work. Sigh.
Firstly, the game. Reader, we'll be honest, Diablo is simply not our sort of sort of thing, but even we can see that it's got the stuff series fans enjoy: slicing and dicing grotesque creatures in a grim fantasy hellscape, a ton of missions, loot to sweep up, and a character to endlessly upgrade and tinker with. It looks and sounds phenomenal, too.
And yet drama and discontent seem to follow this game around. Some are unhappy with how the servers work, which are locked to your character. So if you have a friend already playing on another server you can't move over and play with them, as it stands, which seems like a bit of an error.
Then there are the in-app purchases. We've broken it all down here in this Diablo Immortal microtransaction guide, but honestly, this seems like a bit of a fuss over nothing. You can pay for cosmetics and other non-essential items if you like, and if you buy the battle pass you get bumper rewards for completing certain tasks, just like every other game with a battle pass.
So we'd say ignore the angry folks trying to whip up drama and try it for yourself — it's literally free — and make up your own mind. We think you'll like it.
Yu Suzuki's Air Twister looks…um…interesting
Yu Suzuki, the man behind early Sega hits like Space Harrier and OutRun, is a legendary figure in the history of video games. He helped Sega become a force to be reckoned with through those early hits, then broke new ground in the early 3D era with Virtua Fighter before making his Dreamcast opus Shenmue.
And his new game? Well, um, it looks…absolutely deranged. It's called Air Twister and it's a Space Harrier-like infinite shooter coming to Apple Arcade on June 24, Apple confirmed this week.
There are some interesting creative choices going on in this one, including visuals that give it a bizarre PS2-era vibe and a soundtrack from what appears to be a dodgy Queen tribute act. Have a look at the trailer above to drink it all in for yourself.
What to play this week
While you all wait for the mighty Air Twister, Apple Arcade subscribers can give Frogger and the Rumbling Ruins a try from today, June 3. It's the sequel to Frogger in Toy Town, and has lots of hopping around to avoid getting squished, plus some smart puzzling and very handsome, shiny visuals.
Elsewhere, there's Top Gun Legends, which is not exactly groundbreaking stuff but it is a cheesy and fun old-school shooter with an amusing take on Kenny Loggins' famous tune. It's good for a brainless few moments over the weekend.
The curiosity of the week is MoriArashi, a strange kind of physics-driven platform game where you collect and guide an increasing number of floaty little eyeball things up and through levels strewn with spikes and other hazards. It's all pretty weird and that, for us, is very much a good thing.
See you next week!
-Neil Long
